#026

When Olivia Steele broke her silence about what really happened to her at Burning Man, it shook the community.

Her viral, polarizing post called out what she described as a psychic break—not a bad trip, not burnout, but an energetic hijacking. The reactions were swift: some dismissed her, others attacked her… and many quietly messaged her: “I’ve felt this too.”

This is the first time Olivia shares the full story—raw, real, and without algorithmic filter.

In this exclusive, soul-baring conversation with Jeff Scult, Olivia unpacks the hidden side of transformational spaces: the portals we open, the protection we neglect, and the price we pay for chasing peak experience without energetic hygiene.

What began as a warning became a reckoning. A reckoning became a rebirth.

🔥 If you’ve ever walked away from a ceremony, festival, or “spiritual” space feeling off, drained, or like someone—or something—got in, this episode is for you.

Together, Jeff and Olivia explore:
What actually happened to her on the Playa that led to her viral share

The difference between burnout and energetic takeover
The unseen impact of ungrounded peak experiences
How art, authenticity, and awareness become tools of sovereignty
Why “sacred” spaces are not always safe spaces—and what to do about it

This is not an exposé on Burning Man. It’s a clarion call for truth, sovereignty, and discernment in a world obsessed with transformation—but unprepared for its cost.
🪞 Listen with an open heart. Leave with a fortified field.

This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠One Golden Thread⁠⁠⁠, the eco-chic regenerative fashion brand founded by Jeff Scult. As a special offering for Drops of Gold listeners, receive 22% off your first purchase with - dropsofgold

⁠⁠⁠Drops of Gold⁠⁠⁠ is the NOW podcast hosted and threaded by Jeff Scult, devoted to reminding us how to release stuck stories, embrace life, and reveal our most expressive, authentic selves.

Gratitudes:

To One Golden Thread for powering the pod, to co-producers Mark Shapiro, Josh Robertson, and Victory for bringing it to life, Kat Benzova for her stunning guest portraits, and special thanks to artist Taib for featuring his electrifying new track Departures as the Drops of Gold title song.

And infinite love to you, for your curiosity and commitment to living in your highest vibrational truth. Aho, here we grow. We are designed to be reminded, we are already golden inside. I’m Jeff Scult, Wishing you a radically yes f*ck yes day, Ase

Bio

Olivia Steele is a globally recognized contemporary artist known for her provocative neon installations that fuse light, language, and landscape to explore spiritual awareness, societal illusion, and emotional truth. With works placed everywhere from Burning Man to public streets, Steele uses handwritten phrases in noble gas glass tubing to create moments of reflection and disruption—what she calls “visual mantras.” Her art challenges perception, illuminates the unseen, and invites viewers into deeper inquiry about self, soul, and the modern world.